Taking a Closer Peek At Steiff's Peky Dogs

Dogs are perhaps Steiffgal's "best of show" favorites among all the wonderful creatures Steiff has produced over the years. There's something in the way that the Steiff designers capture the personalities and characteristics of the toy breeds - including pugs, Pomeranians, and Pekingese - that make their renditions completely irresistible. Check out this question concerning a precious Steiff pup to see if you agree. Anna from Warsaw, Poland writes:

"Hello,

A few months ago I bought a very nice Steiff dog.

Unfortunately I have no information regarding this dog.

It would be great if you could tell me anything about it.

Please find a picture of the dog as an attachment.

Best Regards, Anna"

This is a walk in the dog park to answer! Anna, what you have here is Steiff's Cosy Peky, the Pekingese. She was manufactured from 1968 through 1978. Peky is 20 cm, sitting, unjointed, and has adorable black and white pupil eyes and a hand stitched nose. She is made from tan and white Dralon (a synthetic plush), and is stuffed with soft fibers and foam, making her fully washable. Cosy Peky, like most Steiff items with the word "Cosy" in their names, was designed more as a fun, play item for children rather than a collectible.

Steiffgal guesses that her button is small and dome shaped, with the word "Steiff" written in tiny script letters, or rather flat like a plate with the word "Steiff" in larger script letters. Anna's Cosy Peky was made at a time when the company was transitioning from one button type to another.

Pekingese dogs have been in the Steiff product line for 497 (dog) years, having made their first appearance in the 1938 catalog. The original Peky, shown here on the left in a photo from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1892 - 1943 Sortiment Book, is standing, head jointed, and made from very long off white mohair. She was produced in 10, 14, 17, 22, and 25 cm up until 1943.

After the war, a newer Pekingese design was introduced, debuting in 1953. This updated Peky was produced in 8, 10, 14, and 22 cm though 1977. The post-war Peky is standing, made from light brown mohair, has a detailed black muzzle (mostly velvet in the smaller sizes; mohair in the larger ones), and a darling, pouty mouth. This pattern was also produced as an 18 cm hand puppet from 1963 through 1964. Because this design is so expressive, it remains a collector's favorite to this day - as each Peky truly has her own look and personality. The photo on the left shows an assortment of these "newer" Pekys, including the puppet.

Steiff also introduced other Pekys into the line through the 1980's. These included a larger, 30 cm light blond mohair sitting Peky from 1965 through 1976 (pictured to the left), Anna's adorable Cosy Peky, a crylor (a coarse synthetic material) standing Peky, and a few other soft plush play versions for children. Interestingly, Steiff has yet to produce a Studio, or life sized, Peky for collectors! Hint, hint!

Anna, Steiffgal hopes this "peek" into the history of Steiff Pekingese dogs has given you a good feeling for the legacy of your precious Peky!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures, canine or otherwise? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Giving Thanks For Steiff

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to reflect on what is important, and give heartfelt appreciation for those things and people that mean the most to us. Steiffgal thought it would be just the right time of year to send a big hug and "thank you" to all the friends from across the world who come to this column to share in the love of all things button-in-ear.

Of course, Steiffgal is thankful for having Steiff in her life, and the joy and excitement that collecting brings along with it. However, there are a few "unsung everyday heroes" in her collection for which she would like to extend a special "thank you" for the daily service they provide.

First, a "jumbo" thank you to Trotty, the giant elephant. Trotty is 90 cm and made from grey and white woven fur. He has a tuft of black fur on the tip of his tail and airbrushed details on his face and paws. He was produced from 2001 through 2003, and also came in a "smaller" 60 cm size.

Why thanks? Better than a backrest and the best naptime buddy ever, most Steifflife columns (including this one) were written while snuggling up with this prehistorically sized pachyderm.

Next, thanks goes out to a Steiff buddy who always seems to be hanging around. This red mohair rabbit is 8 cm, head jointed, and is fully posable because of his internal wire armature. He has brown and black pupil eyes and darling pert black whiskers. He was produced in 2005 as part of a series of hanging bunnies, which included blue, yellow, and apricot colored versions.

Why thanks? This constant companion travels with Steiffgal everyday to and from work as her briefcase dangling “lucky charm”… and is a great Steiff conversation starter with other subway commuters.

As many readers are aware, Steiffgal lost a job to the recession earlier this year, but found another very exciting opportunity within a few months. On her first day on the new job, she brought along two tiny, but very special Steiff items for her new desk. These included a little 10 cm orange and white mohair Bully puppy from the 2005 Steiff yellow tag collection, and a 7 cm, five ways jointed super-fuzzy brown mohair Teddy from the early 2000’s.

Why thanks? This darling couple reminds Steiffgal how fortunate she is to have a great job despite these tough economic times - without taking up too much space on her desk!

Finally, it’s certainly ok to give thanks to things beyond work, so here’s two Steiff friends that make “playtime” even more fun. Here we have two unlikely roommates, a monk and the devil! The monk is actually a beer monk; he is 35 cm tall, made from trevira velvet, and sports a red cowl, tan logo’ed apron, and tiny leather sandals. He was produced in 1999 as a 1,500 piece limited edition for the Alpirsbacher monastery brewery in Germany. The devil is a 27 cm red trevira hand puppet, produced from 1980 through 1983. He has great black woven fur as hair, a ruff, and on the tip of his tail.

Why thanks? These two friends live in Steiffgal’s kitchen – guarding the in-house beer tap and keg refrigerator. They are a constant reminder of the importance of daily fun in moderation… something that Steiffgal is very happy to exercise!

Friends, Steiffgal hopes you all have a peaceful Thanksgiving. She also asks that you take the opportunity to use the holiday as a time to express gratitude for those things that make life so sweet and interesting. As Aaron Copeland wrote in his 1945 Pulitzer Prize winning Shaker-themed Appalachian Spring symphony:

‘Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be out delight,

'Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures you are particularly thankful for? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Born In The 50's, Steiff Style

The 1950s were a time of great creativity and energy at Steiff. As a matter of fact, many of Steiffgal's favorite Steiff collectibles are from this highly innovative decade. Take a look at this note from a reader who asks about a wonderful collection of period items from this time frame - and perhaps you'll feel the same way, too! Kevin from Chicago writes...

"I have inherited several Steiff animals from my father. He grew up in southern California in the 1940s and 1950s and was given these animals by his German aunt who fancied Steiffs. I believe the animals are no newer than the early 1950s, but I’m guessing that most are older, perhaps from the 1940s or earlier. I’m sure you can confirm and/or advise.

I remember my father mentioning that his aunt would often travel to Germany before the war and bring items back home. I am not sure if that info applies to any of these Steiffs, but figure it worth mentioning.

The only animals that have the metal Steiff button in ear are the cat and the tiger.

Thanks so much for your time and knowledge.

Kind regards, Kevin"

Like Super Glue, the hula-hoop, Saran Wrap, and White Out, all of these Steiff items were "born in the '50s". Let's take a look at each one.

This scruffy Teddy, as his chest tag suggests, is named Zotty. Zotty was one of the first new bear designs introduced post war, in 1951. Upon his debut, Zotty was produced in nine sizes, ranging from 17 through 100 cm, in brown tipped mohair. Kevin's Teddy is 17 cm. As Zotty's popularity grew, so did his range in the line; he has appeared as a sleeping animal, a play bear, as a lulac style Teddy, and a pajama bag among other items. In 1960 a white mohair version was introduced; Zotty has also been produced in several different forms of plush over the years. The word "Zotty" is from the German word "Zottel", which means shaggy.

To "qualify" as a Zotty, a Teddy must have these three things: an open felt lined mouth, a front insert bib made of a complementary colored mohair to his body, and of course, be made from very shaggy material!

One of the things that makes this Zotty so interesting is his chest tag. Note that the name "Zotty" is in red. Steiff used this particular chest tag - which was a slightly updated version of the one used pre-war - for only a few years in the early 1950s. This helps to date Kevin's Teddy to the very beginning of the "Zotty years"! It is very likely that this Teddy has (or had when he left the factory almost 60 years ago) a small white fabric US Zone tag sewn into the seam of his right arm or leg.

It probably would be wise to move onto this owl now. This brainy bird is called Uhu Wittie, or Wittie Owl. Wittie as a plaything or collectible was produced from 1954 through 1977 in four sizes: 10, 14, 22, and 35 cm. Kevin's Wittie is the 14 cm version. Wittie's body and wings are mohair and his feathers are designed from carefully cut and detailed felt. He is unjointed, has marvelous airbrushed detailing on his body, huge green pupil eyes, and charming tufts of black hair on his forehead. One of the things that is quite remarkable about this piece in any size is his enormous felt feet.

Wittie made a few appearances throughout the Steiff catalog over the years. He was produced as a popular hand puppet from 1955 through 1978. He was also made in blue in 10 cm as a promotional item for a German company in 1960. This blue version of Wittie is exceptionally rare and sought out by vintage Steiff collectors worldwide.

Steiffgal will try and stay between the lines on this next item. Here we have a tiny 14 cm Steiff mohair tiger. He is gorgeously hand airbrushed and sports the famous Steiff green "glowing eyes". This particular model was produced from 1952 through 1959 in 8, 10, and 14 cm. The 8 cm version has a cotton cord tail while his larger siblings have stuffed mohair tails.

This fabulous feline is particularly interesting and desirable to vintage collectors as he is five ways jointed, meaning his head, arms, and legs all move. This is rare and unusual for Steiff tigers. Adding to his appeal, this particular design was only available in the US - making him an early "country exclusive".

This next item is truly in a "cat"-a-gory all on her own. Here we have Siamy, the Siamese cat. Siamy is 15 cm, sitting, head jointed, and is made from light and dark chocolate brown mohair. She has a pink stitched nose and riveting cobalt blue glass pupil eyes. Both her ears and open mouth are lined in pink felt. She has her raised script ear button and what appears to be her original ribbon. Siamy was manufactured in 11, 15, and 23 cm from 1953 through 1954 only.

Siamy has had nine lives with Steiff. She was originally produced by Steiff in the 1930's and early 1940's in an almost identical pattern; pre-war she also appeared as a hand puppet and a pajama bag. From her introduction almost 80 years ago, Siamy has always been an absolute crowd favorite. From her adorable facial expression, endearing pose, and magnificent eyes, it is easy to see how she leads the pack on the Steiff catwalk!

As for the value of these finds from the fabulous fifties... as always, Steiffgal is not a formal appraiser and strongly believes that something is "worth" what someone else will pay for it. And although the economy is finally showing some signs of life, times still favor Steiff buyers over sellers pricewise. However, Kevin's items overall are from an era of increasing interest to collectors and are also in very good to excellent condition. That all being said, Steiffgal has recently seen comparable early post-war Zottys sell in the $175 to $250 range; Witties sell in the $25 to $80 range, comparable early post-war five ways jointed animals sell in the $75 to $200 range; and comparable Siamy cats sell in the $100 to $250 range.

Kevin, Steiffgal hopes that this overview of the history behind your Father's menagerie helps confirm your Aunt's fine taste in Steiff collectibles!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures, obtained via family or flea market? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Steiff's Very Own First Lady

She made her debut on the world's stage in 1953 and is known for her iconic sense of style and distinct femininity. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, perhaps? Or Steiff's very own Jackie Teddy? You wouldn't be wrong either way. Take a look at this note from a reader who asks about a Steiff Teddy from the early 50's. Carolyn writes...

"Dear Steiffgal: I came across your blog in searching Google to identify this little Steiff bear I bought at a recent estate sale.

• She has a silver color metal tag with raised letter Steiff in cursive, no underlining of the ff.
• She is jointed and approximately 6 1/2" tall.
• She has felt pads on her hands and feet and has four stitched claws.
• She has glass eyes and I think there is a dried out squeaker.
• She is mohair and I think I see the faint remains of airbrushing around her ankles. She is dirty and faded but adorable nonetheless.
• She is straw stuffed and I think there is some stitching missing across the nose.

Do you think this could possibly be a Jackie? I appreciate your help and enjoyed reading your blog. It encourages me to tend to mine.

Best, Carolyn"

Oh, Jackie... Steiffgal is quite certain that this little lady is an original Steiff Jackie Teddy bear. Jackie is light blond mohair, five ways jointed, and has a distinctly round and chubby appearance. Jackie was produced in 17, 25, 35, and 75 cm from 1953 through 1955 only. Carolyn's Jackie corresponds to the smallest 17 cm version. Jackie was produced in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Teddy bear - specifically the 50th anniversary of the registration of 55PB at the Heidenheim district court in 1903.

This particular Jackie is well loved and is missing several of the design details that she had when she left the factory in Giengen almost 60 years ago. These include a light pink stitch across the nose, an airbrushed belly button, and lots of facial airbrushing. New, all Jackies also had a raised script ear button and a white fabric "US Zone" tag sewn in their arm seam, and came with a small full color celebration booklet.

Jackie also has a few very distinctive body details that don't wear away with love over time. First, her hand are proportionally large for her chubby arms and don't have the break at the wrist as many Steiff bears do. Second, she is shorter and plumper, especially in the middle, than other Steiff bears made in, and before, her era. And third, her mouth is a very wide "V" shape, sort of pouty and "girly" while other Steiff bears of her time have/had a very sharp pointed "V" mouth. The picture on the left, which was taken from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1947 -2003 Sortiment Book, shows the original Jackie so readers can compare her now and then.

Steiffgal advises cleaning this mohair treasure as carefully as possible. Here's how:

• First, remove as much surface dirt and dust as possible by shaking her vigorously and then vacuuming her very gently and at a distance.
• Clean her surface mohair with a very weak solution of water and gentle dish detergent - just very sparingly moisten a washcloth and rub her down with the damp cloth. You'll be surprised what comes off!
• Let her naturally air dry away from the sun and heat sources.
• Gently fluff her up with a brush or comb.

Carolyn, Steiffgal hopes that this information is helpful to you... congrats on this wonderful find and please enjoy this special "first lady" of a Teddy bear!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Signing Up For Steiff

A signature on a painting or sculpture is one of the things that can make the piece more interesting and collectible. Although Steiff creations are certainly works of art, they are not signed by the designers and highly skilled craftspeople who bring them to life. But they are sometimes signed by Steiff family members and executives of the company. Check out this note from a reader in Draper, Utah, who asks about her family's signed bears. Jennifer writes...

"Our family collected Steiff while I was growing up.

My mother in particular collected a handful of signed, boxed animals. I cannot decipher the first name. It's "B. Steiff."

I was wondering if you could help me figure out who signed these bears.

I've attached a few photos.

Thank you, Jennifer"

Jennifer, thanks for writing and for the invitation to play "the name game!" On the paw pads of your items are the signatures of Hans Otto Steiff and his wife, Birgit Eitle Steiff.

Hans Otto Steiff was the former President of Steiff in Germany and a direct descendant of the founder, Margarete Steiff. Hans Otto and Brigit toured the USA in the mid-1980's, meeting collectors, attending events, and signing Steiff items. It would make perfect sense that they signed the paw pads of your pictured items (the Berlin bear, produced from 1985 though 1987 and the Margarete Strong bride, groom, flower bear-er and ring bear-er, produced from 1984 though 1989), which all date from the mid 1980's.

Hans Otto passed away on December 31, 1994. His obituary from the New York Times, dated Sunday, January 8, 1995, reads as follows:

"Hans-Otto Steiff, former president of Margarete Steiff GmbH, makers of Teddy bears and other animal toys, died on December 31st in his hometown of Giengen in Baden-Wurttenberg, Germany. He was 75. He suffered a long illness after a series of strokes, Rolf H. Honniger, managing director of the Steiff international holding company, said.

Mr. Steiff earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Stuttgart Technical University in 1950 and then joined the family business, which was founded in 1904 by his great-grandaunt, Margarete Steiff, who was known as Gretel.

He became president in 1951 and president of the holding company in 1981. He retired in 1984. Gretel Steiff started out making toy elephants from cloth for friends when, in 1880, her brother Fritz discovered customers would sweep them off shop shelves. She added fluffy material almost by chance, and Steiff toy animals were born.

Teddy bears gained their names from Teddy Roosevelt, and by 1907 Steiff had shipped a million of them to America alone. Now collectors' items, one Steiff bear fetched $171,000 at a Christie's auction in London in December.

Mr. Steiff is survived by his wife of 46 years, Birgit Eitle Steiff; two sons, Joachim and Rainer, and a daughter, Beatrice."

It truly is "all in family" with Steiff... Hans Otto's son, Joachim Steiff, toured the US on Steiff's 2006 "Paws Across America" tour, meeting collectors, signing items, and following in the footsteps of his parents twenty years on.

It is interesting to note that these signatures appear on the paw pads of these collectibles. This seems to be the "official" place for Steiff signatures. However, as Steiffgal was researching Jennifer's inquiry, she recalled that she also has a piece signed by Hans Otto and Brigit Steiff - the 50 cm Super Goldy Hamster. This surreally large rodent is so big that Steiffgal had some problems getting a skittish Steiffpug to pose with it to show its scale!

Giant Goldy was manufactured from 1985 through 1986 only. However, most unusually, it is signed by Mr. and Mrs. Steiff on the yellow fabric ear tag, probably because her feet are plush and this fabric really cannot be signed.

Jennifer, Steiffgal hopes this "autograph analysis" gives you a better idea of the special, personal legacy your items have for collectors around the world.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures, signed or not? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

A Great Big Steiff "Labor of Love"

It hardly seems like work at all to Steiffgal when readers contact her with questions about their family treasures. Check out this note from Caren and Nancy from Worcester, Massachusetts, who are curious about their very own life sized "beast of burden." They write...

"My mother and I are writing to you to see if you could help us find out more information about a donkey we have.

We have been told that it is a Steiff but no longer has its tag. It is life size measuring approximately 35 inches tall and 42 inches long.

I'm not what else I can tell you except that its saddle bags are removable.

The donkey was given to our family while we were living in New Jersey around 15 years ago. Any information you can give us would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your time, Caren and Nancy"

What you have here is what Steiff calls "Bergesel" or mountain donkey. The donkey is a "Schautier", or life-sized studio display piece. He is standing, made from gray dralon (a synthetic plush material), has pert white felt lined ears and an open felt lined mouth, and has extensive tan and black airbrushing throughout his body to give him texture and a realistic look. His mane and tail tip are detailed with long black dralon fabric and his hooves are made from a leather-like material.

This Steiff mountain donkey is quite rare. He was made only from 1966 through 1967 and came in two sizes: 85 and 115 cm. Steiff studio items are generally measured by height and Caren and Nancy's piece corresponds to the 85 cm version. The old fashioned "Bastsaecke", or bast sacks (side saddle bags made from a hemp-like material), are original to the donkey and were made to fit the larger or smaller sized versions.

As many typical house and farm animals, donkeys are, and have always been, prominent in the Steiff line. They were featured in the debut Steiff catalog of 1892; these earliest models were made from felt, sported a red saddle cloth, and were available with and without wheels. Steiff has produced donkeys as puppets, pull toys, sleeping animals, and even as the logo of the Democratic party here in the USA! Here on the left you can see a relatively modern Steiff donkey, a 60 cm dralon darling named Grissy, from the mid-1970's. Steiffgal thinks that the in the case of Caren and Nancy's donkey, the addition of the bast sacks to the donkey changes its category from a "friendly farm friend" to a mountain-traversing working animal.

Caren and Nancy, Steiffgal hopes your rare and unusual mountain donkey continues his most important labors - bringing you happiness and pleasure - for many more years.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures of any size? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

In An Ideal World...

In an Ideal world, would every wonderful mohair collectible be a Steiff? Well, take a look at this inquiry from a reader from Patterson, Missouri concerning her 100 year old friend and you decide! Susan writes...

"Found your blog online and I'm very glad I did. I'd like to know more about my bear and would appreciate any help you can give me. Here's the scoop on him...

Tag: He does not have a tag or any other identification label.

Size: He is approximately 12" lying down straight and approximately 7" sitting up. His feet are 2" heel to toe.

Details of piece: He has boot button eyes and a stitched brown triangular nose. Both appear to be original. He does not have a stitched mouth. It's hard to tell the number of stitched claws on his hands and feet as it looks like some are missing. His right foot felt has large hole and you can see brown fiber looking stuffing. He has a few minor moth holes on his other felt pieces. He has a front center hand sewn seam up his belly.

Construction: I can see inside one hip joint and it looks like it's put together with a round cardboard piece. His head has center seam below nose, two seams on the back, and center seam on front and back of torso.

His story: A friend's father was selling out to move and told his kids they could have anything they wanted. Nobody wanted the little bear with the sweet face so I asked if I could have him and they all said yes. My friend's mother and father would be in their mid 80's now, dad from Tennessee and mom from Kentucky. Bear was probably his mom's I'm guessing, but I don't know for sure. To me he has always looked like a Steiff, maybe a 1905, but I've never seen a picture of one exactly like him.

If you could help identify him I'd be very appreciative. I've attached some pictures.

Please let me know if you need anymore information.

I thank you in advance."

Teddy bears are truly global ambassadors of goodwill - and like ambassadors themselves, can come from all parts of the world. Steiffgal believes that this terrific Ted does not hail from Germany and is not Steiff (which is totally OK!!!). It is her very best guess that he was made in the USA under the American brand called Ideal. Ideal (or specifically The Ideal Novelty and Toy Company) was started in New York in 1903 by Rose and Morris Michtom and was a direct competitor with Steiff in the Teddy bear marketplace basically up through the late 1930's. The company stopped doing business in the early 1980's.

Susan's Teddy, pictured here on the left, has very typical features that highlight some design differences between early Steiff and Ideal bears:

Early Steiff bears have long thin hand paws that taper and angle at at the wrists; Ideal bears have thicker, straighter, and smaller hand paws.

Early Steiff bears have long narrow feet which are typically made in a 1:5 ratio of body length to feet; Ideal bears have smaller, broader, rounder feet.

Early Steiff bears generally have their ears placed higher up on the head; Ideal bears are set more on the side of the head.

Early Steiff bears have more rounded heads, proportional muzzles, and smaller noses; Ideal bears have "triangular" heads, large shaved muzzles, and prominent triangular noses.

Steiff used black stitching on early blond bears (and brown on white ones); Ideal used different color stitching to detail their products.

This Teddy, although not Steiff, is "ideal" in many ways. Vintage Ideal bears are relatively rare and hard to come by, making them quite collectible and desirable. And don't just take Steiffgal's word on that. In 2002, the United States postal service honored the 100th anniversary of the Teddy bear by creating a series of first class stamps featuring four "terrific toy Teds" all manufactured in the US. One of those featured bears included a 1905 Ideal Teddy, owned by well known Teddy bear collectors Paul and Rosemary Volpp. This Ideal Teddy stamp is pictured here on the left.

Susan, Steiffgal hopes this identification meets with your stamp of approval!

Have a question about one of your Steiff -or maybe Steiff - treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.